ABSTRACT
Equality is a fundamental political concept, but also a very complex one. While the core idea of equality is that people should be treated in the same way, there are many different principles of equality. To provide a coherent defence of equality requires separating out the various principles, and explaining what it is that is being equalised: is it income, or well-being, the capacity to acquire certain goods, or something else? Equality, or particular principles of equality, must then be reconciled with other political values, or principles, such as freedom and efficiency. For that reason, this chapter is primarily conceptual, in that it aims to set out a number of principles of equality, and explain the relationships between them. The discussion will necessarily refer back to Chapter 2 (Freedom), and forward to Chapter 4 (Justice).
